The Raiders have somehow regressed despite moving from the Gardner Minshew/Aidan O’Connell quarterback situation to Geno Smith, with the Antonio Pierce-to-Pete Carroll transition also failing to move the needle in the win column. One domino has already fallen in Las Vegas, as Chip Kelly is out as OC. More may well be positioned to topple soon.
Kelly had loomed as a Raiders OC target for two offseasons, being hired shortly after the team installed Carroll as HC. Minority owner Tom Brady is believed to have wielded strong influence in the Kelly hire, according to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini. This is unsurprising given how much power Brady is believed to have in Vegas, and Russini adds Mark Davis‘ preferred football czar is frustrated with the team’s overall performance.
Brady’s frustration likely contributed to the team’s decision to fire Kelly. It has now been three straight years of a Raiders OC being dismissed in-season. The team canned Mick Lombardi shortly after firing Josh McDaniels and GM Dave Ziegler in 2023, and Pierce booted Luke Getsy midway through the 2024 campaign. With Smith taking 10 sacks in an abysmal loss to the Browns, the Raiders acted early yet again. Kelly, who became the NFL’s highest-paid coordinator (at $6MM per year), is an NFL one-and-done once again. His most recent NFL post, as 49ers HC in 2016, ended after one year.
The Raiders firing Kelly now strips Carroll from having the chance to make this move in the offseason. Such an effort occurring then would have given the veteran leader a chance to frame that move as a way to convince Brady, Davis and GM John Spytek positive 2026 change would take place. With the firing coming in November, will Carroll have a chance to return as HC in 2026?
Some around the NFL are wondering if Carroll will join Kelly as a Raiders one-and-done, per ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler. The oldest HC in NFL history, the 74-year-old sideline staple has not come especially close to being the floor-raising presence expected in Vegas.
The Raiders made a stark pivot to Carroll after losing out on Ben Johnson, a coach Brady aggressively pursued this offseason (though, the team was not believed to have made an offer to the now-Bears HC). The team is 2-9 and ranks 31st in scoring offense (a unit that ranks 32nd in EPA per play). While EPA slots Patrick Graham‘s defense 20th, the Raiders have lost six games by double figures and have only beaten the one-win Titans since what looks to be a fluky Week 1 triumph in New England.
Carroll, who also fired special teams coordinator Tom McMahon this month, is on a three-year contract that carries an option for a fourth season. Most HC deals cover five or six years, but Carroll’s age undoubtedly factored into the Raiders’ thinking upon designing this deal. No clear succession plan appeared to exist, and with the Raiders at two wins by Thanksgiving, it would shock if Carroll’s replacement was on staff.
Carroll also holds considerably less power than he did in Seattle, with Brady and Spytek heavily involved. Carroll held final roster say with the Seahawks; the 2024 Seattle change was partially structured around John Schneider receiving a chance to fully steer the ship. Brady is highly unlikely to be going anywhere, so the all-time QB great’s fingerprints figure to be on the coaching situation. Carroll, who sat out the 2024 season but became intrigued with the Raiders once Brady was approved as a part-owner, may well be coaching for his job down the stretch this season.
It’s almost like people in their mid 70s should be slowing down and not in high pressure careers.
Please inform Bill Belichick.
Fanboy isn’t a job and UNC is a joke.
What gave you the idea that those of us in our seventies are sloooowing downnnn?
The spacing between the words was suppose to increase incrementally but the formatting in this forum has never been that good. sorry.
Yet we keep electing older and older presidents…
The Council On Foreign Relations chooses our presidents
Pls elaborate…
Global elite … always have. Every president has been a member. If people believe actual elections do it, thats okay too.
This is not on Pete.
As noted if Brady was the key influencer to hire Chip, the shatty performance of the offense is on Brady. Nobody wanted Chip as oc or believed he was relevant. Absolute fail of an organization even with Brady.
We need to let Spytek make decisions as he learned from some of the best in Tampa.
Massive failure for raiders org and until they start drafting like the top teams ie line first, the team will suck.
Absolutely hate the position raiders have been in for 20 years but also despise ownership and C Suite for allowing this to persist.
Let’s be honest, whomever got the OC job was doomed this year, as this paper thin O-line is a disaster. Chip is not to blame, as we will all see with whomever else takes over the OC job here. The position is doomed until they get an actual line in place. As a Raiders fun, it’s really tough to watch, but I don’t blame Chip. Even Brady had a rough year in his career when his O-line sucked that one year. Funny though, they didn’t blame the OC in New England – they just simply stated the facts – our line needs to be much better and we will address it in the off season.
Watch the reports from Albert Breer detailing the pot job Chip was doing. Eye opening.
It could be true, and lots of it probably is true, but I’d also consider that it’s quite unlikely that Kelly was consulted on that article.
Brady also reportedly strongly preferred Geno to Darnold.
I’ll admit that I also preferred Geno to Darnold. However, the timeline didn’t make a whole lot of sense to me (a solid but unspectacular starter wasn’t turning this team around) and Brady is meddling way too much. Not to mention, I think we can both agree that the Chip Kelly hiring seemed doomed from the outset
The GM has a lot of this on his hands. Had all kinds of cap room before the season and squandered it. Every other team was upgrading while this guy was sitting on his hands. Signed Amari Cooper for a week but did nothing to bolster the O-Line, which is why Geno is a shell of himself (mostly). Crosby, Jeanty and Bowers vs. the world. Good luck.
If it was easy to bolster an OL through free agency guys like Jason Peters wouldn’t be playing at age 40. Most of the players available are just average with injury histories. They can serve as short term rentals in backup roles mostly.
Yeah, they could have taken Membou, who looks like a future Pro Bowler and is good already at right tackle. Instead they made the flashy pick. I love Jeanty as a player, but you don’t take a running back in the top ten when you’ve got huge structural needs.
The irony of the Jeanty pick is that the Raiders wanted to keep Chicago from getting him. They succeeded, but the Bears currently have the 2nd most rushing yards while the Raiders have the 2nd least 🙂
Offensive line building and good coaching are better ways to build a run game than spending a top ten pick on a running back.
Before the year, PFF rated their offensive line with the personnel, good, which I didnt agree with. The injuries to Miller and Powers didnt help.
The raiders are throwing the ball way too much for a team with no receiving talent and a really good RB talent.
The top 5 teams in pass attempts percentage (Raiders are 4th) have a combined record of 13-42. These teams are often in 2nd and long or 3rd and long situations that force them to pass or they are playing catch up on the scoreboard.
I understand, but they still gotta get Jeanty the ball! It’s crazy not to!
All that has happened this year points to the fact that Brady is out of his depth as an executive decision maker. The problem is, as a part owner, who is going to fire him?
Tom Brady, best system QB in history isn’t a great GM ? Say it isn’t so !
Have you read the Guardian piece on how Brady has undone the Raiders?
ChuckyNJ- It’s sarcasm. If you listen to Tom Brady for more than 10 minutes you’ll figure out he’s not that smart at evaluating talent. Good QB, terrible talent judge.
Peyton manning is the best system QB what are you talking about